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even if they get a negative test result.
That echo government advice on being exposed to someone who’s positive.
edscoble-
Indeed, the guidance ( https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19/testing-and-tracing/what-your-test-result-means/ ) says:-
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Negative test resultA negative result means the test did not find coronavirus.
You do not need to self-isolate if your test is negative, as long as:
- everyone you live with who has symptoms tests negative
- everyone in your support bubble who has symptoms tests negative
- you were not told to self-isolate for 14 days by NHS Test and Trace – if you were, see what to do if you've been told you've been in contact with someone who has coronavirus: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19/testing-and-tracing/nhs-test-and-trace-if-youve-been-in-contact-with-a-person-who-has-coronavirus/
- you feel well – if you feel unwell, stay at home until you’re feeling better
If you have diarrhoea or you’re being sick, stay at home until 48 hours after they've stopped.
"And that second link has:-
"
What to do when you get your test resultIf you test negative (the test did not find coronavirus):
- keep self-isolating for the rest of the 14 days from when you were last in contact with the person who has coronavirus – as you could get symptoms after being tested
- anyone you live with can stop self-isolating if they do not have symptoms
- anyone in your support bubble can stop self-isolating if they do not have symptoms
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But the justification for doing it because of a supposed 1 in 5 chance of the negative result being wrong is just bollocks.
- everyone you live with who has symptoms tests negative
Greenbank
I'm a school governor, and we've just had some guidance come through from the council: if someone has the 'classic symptoms' of Covid (high temp, continuous cough, lack of smell), they should self-isolate for 10 days (and household for 14 days), even if they get a negative test result. Their rationale seems to be that there is a 1 in 5 chance you're still positive even if the test comes back negative. I thought the false negative rate was much lower than that? Or is this one of those counter-intuitive Bayesian result things?